How do you define success as a mother? Is it the way your kids smell fresh, are perfectly dressed and are perfectly obedient?
How do you define success as a homemaker? Is it the way your house is always clean, your laundry folded and put away, and the floors are swept and spotless?
How do you define success as a wife? Is it how you beautifully and effortlessly work through every conflict with poise and joy? Is it how you are able to communicate and relate to and encourage your spouse? Is it how you can read one another's minds, speak one another's love language, and meet one another's every need or desire?
How do you define success as a Christian? Is it how you can quote 30 verses from memory? Or how you can explain every single point of Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology…without notes? Is it that you know every hymn from memory and can sing pitch perfect harmony during worship?
So often there is a standard in my mind to which I feel I need to attain. So often I think the outward actions that I do or don't do, or that my children do or don't do, define me. So often I look to what others are doing or how others are operating to get a gauge of what I should be doing or how I should be acting.
I often struggle as I look through Pinterest articles or Facebook profiles or Instagram accounts. There are people and things I am genuinely interested in, but when I see article after article and photo after photo of others who seem to "get it" more than I do, I often log off feeling like there's absolutely no way I could measure up or fit in.
Take this blog as a prime example. This little far-off pipe dream of mine has actually become a reality! I love to be a noticer (is that even a real word?!) of life. I love to share stories. I love to encourage others. I love to write. I love to be vulnerable, open and honest. And now there is a venue to do so!
But…when I look to others who have done it longer, who have got it, seemingly, figured out, when I compare how amateur I feel to how professional they look, I quickly forget the parts that I love and become instantly confused, overwhelmed, and burdened. I feel a hurriedness to work on things I know are not great, and feel a pressure to get it done quickly…as in, it should have been done yesterday.
Underneath all of that is a feeling (and fear) that I need to have perfect writing and perfect vocabulary and, God forbid, if I have a typo or use too many dots in my ellipsis, then people won't want to read what I have to say. There is a constant pressure to perform and it so easily becomes paralyzing.
What I am discovering is that the propensity of my heart goes to those same places in many areas of my life, including my role as a mom. You see, I love to connect with my kids. I love to truly "see" them and relate with them. I love to make a strong effort in keeping up with the house and providing care for all of their needs. I love to teach them, play games with them, and read to them. I truly do find joy in being a mother.
It is always tempting to define success as something we achieve or a place we arrive, but what do we do when we feel like we never achieve or never arrive?
Pinterest is not evil. Other moms with beautiful photos and lovely children are not evil. Teaching our children to obey, or wearing a fancy dress, or fixing our hair with a blowdryer is not evil. Learning our husband's love language or making an all-organic meal that every single member of our family enjoys is not evil. In fact, those things are lovely. I don't need to make myself stop looking at those other moms, or delete my Pinterest account, or eat only non-organic foods, or wear all worn out clothing to avoid comparing myself to other women.
It is my own heart that is the problem.
Those images are some of the most vivid expressions of God-given talents in women that I've ever encountered. To see how another women will find one thing easy that another would find incredibly challenging is a strong confirmation that we are not all the same! There's so much beauty and uniqueness in those differences. There is so much that I could be learning from other women if I would stop comparing myself long enough to learn from them.
Does it mean that because one woman is amazing at organizing her closet that I should feel inferior or "less than?" By no means. If she has been given that wisdom and has found a creative way to share that wisdom with someone like me who is not-so-gifted-in-having-an-organized-closet, then I can choose to be thankful for her shared advice and use that to help me increase my knowledge in that area.
There is a quote I've seen floating around on Instagram lately that reads, "Girls Tear One Another Down, Women Build One Another Up." Now we all know that there are plenty of women that love to tear others down, yet so often it isn't even other women that are doing the tearing down.
But it's bigger than just changing my thoughts or focusing on something else. If my focus and aim is toward perfection, I will feel paralyzed, confused, and exhausted because it is a betrayal of my soul's deepest longing. The only perfect one that has ever lived is Jesus. It is only in Him that my heart will find satisfaction. It is not in the comparing, it is not in the perfection, it is not in the images, it is not in the standard.
Jesus says, there IS a standard and we DON'T measure up. Not me, not you, not anyone. No matter how many bows we put on it, we've already missed the mark.
But the good GREAT news is this: Jesus, the God-Man, came to give us HIS righteousness. He lived the life we were supposed to live and died the death we were supposed to die. He joyfully, gladly and painfully took upon Himself our filth, our failures, our shame and then gave us His cleanness, His success, and His perfection.
And it is in His love, dear friend, that you and I both can truly rest.
Great and inspiring article, Meg. Your words are life changing for your readers as you are the kind of wife, mom and Christian I know lots of us look to as being "perfect ", so what a message to see that we all feel we don't "measure up". And I love your solution, it's okay because we aren't supposed to ever measure please because only Jesus can.
You hit the nail on the head Wendy. I take my "job" seriously and work hard to excel at what I do, but perfect? Oh heavens I am the furthest thing from it. Like Paul in 2 Corinthians I desire to boast in my weaknesses that HE might be made great. Just like John says of Jesus, I must decrease and Jesus must increase. Only Jesus is the righteous one! Which makes us perfect because He is a covering for us all! It frees me to not have to measure up because the standard had already been met through His shed blood. Now I get to do what I do with no fear of failing and no grounds to boast in anything other than Him!
Meg, thank you for being transparent. It's a quality I cherish emensely in you. This helps me grow to see how I want to be comfortable showing that quality in myself and remember that women around me are fighting that same battle. Thank you for reminding me, and other women reading this blog, of the GREAT news we can cherish in those dark moments. Love you!
Thank you Nat, I am encouraged that you are encouraged! Oh that my life would simply point others to Him who IS the only perfect one!!! There is a battle going on and it's not only okay to admit it but in order to not get beat in it we have to be open and transparent with one another. We need each other as encouragement not competition. It's when we rest in His finished work that we will have hope!
This is such an important message for you too share. I am sure many of the young women in the church compare themselves to you, Matt, and you fabulous five. Sharing the fact that you too struggle with this less than feelings is encouraging to say the least. As an older woman watching many young women trying to reach that goal, my heart goes out to them. I remember walking that path and failing daily. Jesus in His faithfulness and by His grace saved me from myself. By His grace He chanced the hearts of my children and drew them to Himself. I am daily amazed at His work in their hearts and lives. My children are amazing daughters, wives, and mothers, by His grace and in spite of my failures. He is faithful and gets all of the glory and honor. Bless you, sweet lady.
Micki, Thank you for your kind and encouraging words! I have no idea how others would view me or my husband, but I want to do my best to take the mystery out of it. You are so right, that it is all by His grace. What knowledge I do have on motherhood, and marriage and life is mostly from failing many times first. And in spite of those failures He continues to pursue, continues to love, continues to restore, continues to rebuild. To HIM BE THE GLORY!
Love to you! And thank you again!


Fountain of flowers by dreamkiller26 on deviantart. Metal flower water fountain outdoor water fountains. Free photo: fountain, flowers, water free image on. Fountain of flowers arrangement from seasons floral.


Definition - What does Rabbit Ears mean?
Rabbit ears are the medium used to evaluate the histological and biomechanical properties of corrosive chemical burns. Rabbit ears are used as models to observe chemical burns and replicate how they may occur on human skin.
During experimentation, corrosive chemicals such as sulfuric acid are poured onto the peritoneal portion of the rabbit's ears. Through microscopic and macroscopic observation, the extent and progress of the corrosive burn injury is evaluated for a certain number of weeks.
Some chemicals can cause severe injury due to exposure. Therefore, tests are performed to assess how much damage is possible when exposed to corrosive chemicals.
In the experiments, rabbit ears are utilized as a vascular and epidermal structure comparable to humans. According to the results of the studies, corrosive chemical burns from substances like sulfuric acid can result in necrosis in the epidermis and collagen degeneration as diffused vascular infiltration, which is characteristic of deep burns in the skin.
Compared to burns caused by heat, the damage of chemical burns to skin involves bigger, deeper and permanent damage which has the least possibility to heal. Corrosive burns can cause full-thickness injury to the dermis, which can be permanent, taking away the skin's ability to heal. With the use of rabbit ears as a medium, the effects of corrosive chemicals on human skin can be evaluated.


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▶ Overview
1: Child and Adolescent Health and Development: Realizing Neglected Potential
▶ Estimates of Mortality and Morbidity in Children 5 - 19 Years
2: Mortality at Ages 5 to 19: Levels and Trends, 1990 to 2010
3: Global Nutrition Outcomes at Ages 5 to 19
4: Global Variation in Education Outcomes at Ages 5 to 19
5: Global Measures of Health Risks and Disease Burden Adolescents
▶ Impact of Interventions During the Life Course (5-19 Years)
6: Impact of Interventions on Health and Development during Childhood and Adolescence: A Conceptual Framework
7: Evidence of Impact of Interventions on Growth and Development during Early and Middle Childhood
8: Evidence of Impact of Interventions on Health and Development during Middle Childhood and School Age
9: Puberty, Developmental Processes, and Health Interventions
10: Brain Development: The Effect of Interventions on Children and Adolescents
▶ Conditions and Interventions
11: Nutrition in Middle Childhood and Adolescence
12: School Feeding Programs in Middle Childhood and Adolescence
13: Deworming Programs in Middle Childhood and Adolescence
14: Malaria in Middle Childhood and Adolescence
15: School-Based Delivery of Vaccines to 5- to 19- Year Olds
16: Promoting Oral Health through Programs in Middle Childhood and Adolescence
17: Disability in Middle Childhood and Adolescence
18: Health and Disease in Adolescence
▶ Packages and Platforms to Promote Child and Adolescent Development
19: Platforms to Reach Children in Early Childhood
20: The School as a Platform for Addressing Health in Middle Childhood and Adolescence
21: Platforms for Delivering Adolescent Health Actions
22: Getting to Education Outcomes: Reviewing Evidence from Health and Education Interventions
23: Cash Transfers and Child and Adolescent Development
▶ The Economics of Child Development
24: Identifying an Essential Package for Early Child Development: Economic Analysis
25: Identifying an Essential Package for School-Age Child Health: Economic Analysis
26: Identifying an Essential Package for Adolescent Health: Economic Analysis
27: The Human Capital and Productivity Benefits of Early Childhood Nutritional Interventions
28: Postponing Adolescent Parity in Developing Countries through Education: An Extended Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
29: Economics of Mass Deworming Programs
30: The Effects of Education Quantity and Quality on Child and Adult Mortality: Their Magnitude and Their Value
Platforms to Reach Children in Early Childhood
Authors: Maureen Black,	Amber Gove, Katherine A. Merseth
Black, M., Gove, A., Merseth, K. , . "Platforms to Reach Children in Early Childhood". In: Disease Control Priorities (third edition): Volume 8, Child and Adolescent Health and Development, edited by D. Bundy, N. de Silva, S. Horton, D. T. Jamison, G. Patton. Washington, DC: World Bank.
This chapter reports on platforms that promote early child development, including early child development research, programs, and policies, that have advanced significantly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) during the past two decades, spearheaded by (1) the recognition that the foundations of adult health and well-being remain based on prenatal and early-life genetic-environmental interactions that affect brain development, which has created a strong emphasis on strategies to ensure that young children reach their developmental potential; (2) the urgent call for strategies to promote early child development, following estimates that more than 200 million children younger than age five years in LMICs remain at risk of not reaching their developmental potential largely due to nutritional deficiencies and a lack of responsive caregiving; and (3) the global economic growth in the 1990s and the success of the Millennium Development Goals in reducing poverty and stunting and in increasing child survival, which have brought optimism to efforts to promote child health and development.
DCP3 CAHD_Ch 19.pdf

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Heerema awarded second Centrica platform
Centrica has awarded Heerema Hartlepool an engineering, procurement, construction, and nstallation contract for a platform for the York gas field development in the UK southern North Sea.
WINDSOR, UK -- Centrica has awarded Heerema Hartlepool an engineering, procurement, construction, and nstallation contract for a platform for the York gas field development in the UK southern North Sea.
Work on the unmanned facility will start next month. It will comprise 1,300-metric ton (1,433-ton) topsides supported by a 1,450-metric ton (1,598-ton) jacket. The topsides will be 20 m (65.6 ft) long, 15 m (49 ft) wide and 16 m (52 ft) high, while the jacket will be 69 m (226 ft) high, with a footprint of 30 x 20 m (98.4 x 65.6 ft). It will be installed in 43 m (141 ft) water depth.
Heerema Marine Contractors will manage transport and installation of the platform, which will be connected to Centrica's Easington gas terminal to the southwest via a 34-km (21.25-mi), 16-in. (40.6-cm) pipeline.
Currently, the Hartlepool yard is building a 1,100-metric ton (1,212-ton) platform for Ensign, another Centrica UK gas development project. This Seaharvester-type structure will comprise a 600-metric ton (661-ton) topsides and a 500-metric ton (551-ton) jacket, designed by HFG Engineering. The completed Ensign platform should be ready for installation in June.
These two contracts should secure jobs for the workforce at Hartlepool through mid-2012.


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Though it still lacks a replacement maps app for the new Apple iOS, Google is bidding to hold onto iPhone users by improving its maps for the mobile Web.
The company will add Street View images to the mobile Web version of Google Maps as soon as this week.
How do we know this? It comes straight from Walt Mossberg's Google Maps for Android review, which just went live.
Google plans to announce on Thursday that it is adding its popular Street View feature, missing from Apple's maps, to the Web version of Google Maps accessed from the iPhone and iPad. I tested this addition, which displays 360-degree photographic street views of selected locations, and interior photographic views of certain businesses, using sample links Google sent me. These links worked well, allowing me to see the locations and pan around with a finger.
Lack of Street View imagery is one of the commonly cited downsides of Apple's new default Maps app, along with data errors (that's a biggie!) and lack of native support for transit directions.
Apple built its own app after failed negotiations to include Google's turn-by-turn directions in the previous Maps app.
Apple CEO Tim Cook last week apologized for problems with the new Maps app and referred users to competitors' alternatives, including Google Maps on the mobile Web, along with Bing, MapQuest, Waze and Nokia's mobile Web site.
Is Google working on a native version of Maps for iOS? Yes of course. But until that's ready, a better mobile Web version is what it can offer.


text:
Production Begins Today On The Coen's A Serious Man
Production begins today on location in Minnesota on A Serious Man, for Focus Features and Working Title Films. Joel and Ethan Coen, Academy Award winners for No Country for Old Men and Fargo, are writing, producing, and directing the film. Working Title co-chairs Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner are executive-producing the film with Robert Graf, who has worked on the Coens' last six features in various producing capacities.
The director of photography on A Serious Man is seven-time Academy Award nominee Roger Deakins, who is marking his tenth feature collaboration with the Coens. Mary Zophres is the film's costume designer, marking her ninth feature collaboration with the Coens. Jess Gonchor is the production designer, marking his third feature collaboration with the Coens.
A Serious Man is the story of an ordinary man's search for clarity in a universe where Jefferson Airplane is on the radio and F-Troop is on TV. It is 1967, and Larry Gopnik, a physics professor at a quiet midwestern university, has just been informed by his wife Judith that she is leaving him. She has fallen in love with one of his more pompous colleagues, Sy Ableman, who seems to her a more substantial person than the feckless Larry. Larry's unemployable brother Arthur is sleeping on the couch, his son Danny is a discipline problem and a shirker at Hebrew school, and his daughter Sarah is filching money from his wallet in order to save up for a nose job. While his wife and Sy Ableman blithely make new domestic arrangements, and his brother becomes more and more of a burden, an anonymous hostile letter-writer is trying to sabotage Larry's chances for tenure at the university. Also, a graduate student seems to be trying to bribe him for a passing grade while at the same time threatening to sue him for defamation. Plus, the beautiful woman next door torments him by sunbathing nude. Struggling for equilibrium, Larry seeks advice from three different rabbis. Can anyone help him cope with his afflictions and become a righteous person – a mensch – a serious man?
Tony Award nominee Michael Stuhlbarg (whose films include The Grey Zone) stars as Larry; Fred Melamed (Suspect) plays Sy; Richard Kind (The Visitor) portrays Arthur; and Minnesota actors Aaron Wolf, Sari Wagner, and Jessica McManus are cast as Danny, Judith, and Sarah, respectively.
The Coens' comedy thriller Burn After Reading, also from Focus Features and Working Title Films, world-premiered last month as the opening-night film of the 2008 Venice International Film Festival; made its North American premiere last week at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival; and will be released by Focus nationwide on Friday, September 12th. The film stars George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, and Brad Pitt.
TERMINATOR DARK FATE Comic-Con 2019 Photos
Focus president of production John Lyons, who is overseeing A Serious Man and oversaw Burn After Reading on behalf of the company, has previously collaborated with the Coen brothers extensively, as casting director on their features Raising Arizona, Miller's Crossing, Barton Fink, The Hudsucker Proxy, Fargo and The Big Lebowski.
Seat42F September 8, 2008
Digital Series Sorority Forever From McG Lands On MySpaceTV
Gossip Girl Season 2 Episode 4 The Ex Files Promo Photos


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De-escalate student rhetoric when you show them a new path towards expression and communication.
Avoid campus incidents once students have the opportunity to internalize the lessons contained in the materials.
Experience student growth & development as they discover new methods of discourse & dialogue.


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Home Latest News The Crying Woman of TV: An inspirational history
The Crying Woman of TV: An inspirational history
The Crying Woman is a famous Pakistani TV actress. She has appeared in over a hundred TV plays in almost exactly the same role with different names and different getups.
Nobody knows her real name but she seems quite happy with the moniker, The Crying Woman, given to her by many of her fans over a decade ago.
One of the most interesting facts about The Crying Woman is that even in real life she is quite like the roles (or role, rather) that she plays in TV plays – a submissive, pious, romantic, good-natured, perpetually heartbroken woman who cries, a lot. Like, all the time.
The Crying Woman was born in 1985 in Lahore to a submissive, pious, romantic, good-natured, perpetually heartbroken mother who cried, a lot. Like, all the time. The Crying Woman's father was an introverted and kind of spaced-out man who was given to sudden bursts of anger, mainly towards women who knew how to drive.
The Crying Woman's mother was an aspiring TV actress but she was ousted from the house by her mother-in-law just for the heck of it. The father took the mother-in-law's side, whom he saw as a father figure after the mother-in-law had earlier ousted her husband from the house because he had refused to conspire with her to oust the mother-in-law of the mother-in-law who was conspiring to oust the mother-in-law of the Crying Woman's mother who finally managed to oust her mother-in-law and then husband and then daughter-in-law.
The Crying Woman's mother left her husband and took their daughter with her.
She settled in Gujranwala in her parents' house where tensions between her introverted and kind of spaced-out brother (who was given to sudden bursts of anger) and his wife, his mother and father were already high.
So The Crying Woman grew up in an emotionally charged environment and cried her way through school and college before leaving her home and returning to her father in Lahore.
The father had remarried (but was now conspiring with his mother to oust the second wife from the house as well). He had found solace in faith and extravagant exhibitions of piety. He had also set up a chain of driving schools for women where women drivers were taught to unlearn how to drive. The famous chain of driving schools is called Genghis Dot, where troubled upper and middle-class women who once learned to drive are taught (for a fee) to unlearn how to drive and instead become submissive, pious, romantic, good-natured, busy kitchen kittens who cry a lot. Like, nonstop.
The Crying Woman became an un-instructor at her father's un-driving school and it was here where she was first spotted by a female TV drama producer.
The producer was Khanam Baji, a famous TV and film actress of the 1970s who was once known for her colourful lifestyle involving raunchy parties, romantic scandals, nightclubbing and controversial weight-loss regimes. However, once Baji hit middle-age in the late 1980s, she began to mellow down, got married to a pious rich man who helped her see the folly of her ways and advised her to quit driving.
Khanam, who had by then set up her own production house, found it hard to quit driving until she joined Genghis Dot in 1999. Here she fell in love with the owner (The Crying Woman's father), left her husband, got the owner to divorce his second wife, married him but was ousted by her new mother-in-law.
Incidentally, when she was unlearning how to drive at the un-school, she was also looking for a fresh face for the kind of plays she now wanted to make for TV.
Recently, while talking to a devout morning show host, scholar, wise man and human rights activist, Dr. Aamir Liaquat, Khanam Baji revealed:
"When I was young lady, I used to always enjoyings lifes … it was always enjeeoyyzz, enjeeoeyzz, enjoyeeoyzz … but one days I notice wrinkle on my cheek and small paunch comings out of my tummy … when I sees paunch, that is when I sees light and realise that woman is not supposed to enjoyings but only cryings … then I marry my first husband who was blessed with lot of wisdom, piety and money and he say to me, 'Khanam, stop driving car, drive my kitchen ...' So I joins Genghis Dot and as I unlearning driving, I started to learning crying. Like, all the time."
Khanam told Liaquat that it was during her time at the un-driving un-school that she decided to make plays with lots of crying women so the women could be taught their rightful place in the house, their correct conduct, and the dangers of enjoyings for women.
Khanam's first two plays, Khushi Kay Ansoo (2004) and Kambakhti (2005) were written by Nasreen Apa, a woman with the uncanny ability to think like a wise, stoic, misogynic man. She is also sometimes endearingly addressed as Nasir Bhai by her cohorts.
The Crying Woman appeared in the leading role of both the plays. They were huge hits.
In Khushi Kay Ansoo, The Crying Woman played the role of Hamida who spends the better part of the play in trying to get her husband to take her back (after he throws her out for not being able to boil eggs). In Kambakhti she plays the role of a highly emotional woman called Kambakhti who spends the better half of the play trying to get her husband to take her back (after he throws her out for not knowing how to prepare a cheese omelet).
The Crying Woman has now appeared in almost a hundred TV plays and serials playing the same role but with different names and make-up. She is praised for being a natural. Even in real life, The Crying Woman is said to be exactly the way she is on TV. Here she is seen ordering a pizza at home… Preparing breakfast in the kitchen. Asking someone to pass the ketchup...
Though she has won millions of (wailing) fans and gathered a number of awards, she lost to another actress at the 2013 Lux Style Awards that were held in Dubai. Soon after the awards ceremony, she told Ramiz Raja:
"Jab nominate kar saktey ho, toh award kyoon nahi dey sakteeyyyyy ….!!"
This moved Ramiz to tears.
However, in 2014, she finally managed to win the Lux award for her role in Nasreen Baji's latest drama serial Saawan ki Siskiyaan. The Crying Woman wept through her acceptance speech and thanked her future husband for his future support. She said she was really looking forward to being ousted from the future house of her future husband by her future mother-in-law.
Her co-star in Saawan Ki Siskiyaan, Fawad Khan, handed her the award and told the audience that he was dedicating his recent nose-job to women like The Crying Woman who make him look more girly and thus opening up new opportunities for actors like him to play the role of submissive, pious, romantic, good-natured, perpetually heartbroken women who are always crying. 'Like, always,' he added.
Sawan Ki Siskiyaan was also aired by India's Zee TV and is said to have moved the wife of Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to audition for a role in Nasreen Baji's next play. Talking to Times of India, Mrs Modi said:
"If you see my life, it is similar to the one portrayed by The Crying Woman in the play. I think I am a natural too and Modi jee has been very supportive of my natural talents by behaving as if I don't even exist! I mean, what else can an Eastern wife ask for from her husband, no?"
She also added that the Taj Mahal was actually built by a Hindu Raja 19 million years ago.
Though The Crying Woman has become perhaps the most popular and ratings-grabbing TV actress in Pakistan, she says that fame and fortune hasn't changed her in any significant way:
"I am still blissfully miserable," she recently announced after bagging a 87-play-deal with HumTV, Urdu1, Geo, ARY and ESPN.
She was talking to famous Indian historian and possible future Prime Minister of India, Shobha De, during an interview on Star TV. When Ms De asked her whether all the fame and fortune that she had earned made her want to stop crying so much, The Crying Woman responded, "But Shobha jee, crying is all the enjoyings a decent woman needs."
But when De confessed that she couldn't cry as much as she did even if she tried, The Crying Woman said: "That's because you're not decent enough, you vamp!" She then asked De to look at the flab developing around her arms and neck so she (De) could finally see the light. Saying this, she stormed out of the studio, weeping.
Ms De was last seen measuring her arms and neck. And crying.


Have a blast with baby in this party-time companion to the hit board books Baby Loves to Rock! and Baby Loves to Boogie!
and the lemurs hang the streamers.
and the pheasants wrap some presents.
But who is ready to party?
With playful illustrations, funny puns, and rhymes about a crew of critters bringing down the house, this energetic and adorable story from the rock star creator of Baby Loves to Rock! and Baby Loves to Boogie! is sure to please party animals of all ages!
Wednesday Kirwan is a graduate of Kansas City Art Institute and an award-winning children's illustrator and fine artist. Her illustrations are inspired by the children she's worked with as an elementary school art teacher and as an educator at the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito, California. Wednesday lives in San Francisco, California.
Book Cover Image (jpg): Baby Loves to Party!


The Italian Company, specialised in the design and marketing of solutions for the pharmaceutical process and end-of-line machines, will take part at Düsseldorf's exhibition following an original approach: in fact, through an innovative application, visitors will have the possibility to make a virtual tour of the "Pharma Zone": the new area of the Bolognese headquarters dedicated to tests and trials.
MG2, who has always been particularly sensitive to process and technologies' evolution, has chosen an innovative approach for interpack 2017 by preferring, in spite of a simple showcase of machines (which will be on show anyway), the setup of a more captivating A/V platform.
The main protagonist of this experience will be the MG2 Pharma Zone: an area which was inaugurated in autumn 2016 as an essential stage of the Company's growth and expansion process. In fact, thanks to the Pharma Zone, MG2 is able to considerably increase the range of services offered to its customers by supporting them from the design phase of the productive process up to the testing phases right before the product is marketed. The new area allows to carry out dosage trials by using active products in real productive conditions, before the installation of the machine – thus saving costs and time.
But there is even more than that: thanks to the Pharma Zone, MG2 can further support the customer with a service starting from the scale-up of a new product up to the execution of small batches for R&D, including Pre-Clinical feasibility batches. The multidisciplinary team of MG2, made up of experts in mechanics, automation and pharmaceutical technologies, takes care to optimize the dosing process by also developing custom made solutions.
The Pharma Zone is a real pharmaceutical area hosting three "cleanrooms" and a laboratory, built in compliance with the severe constructive standards adopted by the pharmaceutical Companies themselves.
Through differentiated pressure gradient systems, constant air recirculation (duly treated by absolute filters) and accurate temperature and humidity controls, it is possible to handle any product, including APIs, in the most appropriate conditions by respecting the safety of both operators and external environments.
Each room is autonomous and independent, in order to guarantee the needed privacy, but also to avoid "cross-contamination" episodes.
Reproducing this real situation inside an exhibition booth would be inconceivable, but the experience offered by MG2 at Interpack will allow the visitors to virtually immerse themselves in the Pharma Zone and appreciate its high technological content.
In addition to the virtual reality installation, the Bolognese Company will show some of its most advanced solutions dedicated to pharmaceutical process and packaging, with a line-up of models covering both Company's divisions.
PLANETA 200 is the latest evolution of MG2's exclusive range of continuous motion capsule fillers. This machine can reach a production speed up to 200.000 capsules per hour, but its main "plus" is its great flexibility. In fact, PLANETA 200 is a highly configurable platform, suitable to meet different requirements for the dosage of solid forms into hard shell capsules.
The modular design of the machine allows to fit different dosing units at the same time by enabling to fill the same capsule with several products but also to change them over time.
PLANETA 200 was also designed according to scalability principles: it can be purchased with a configuration suitable for medium speeds, then it can later be upgraded for the maximum speed of 200.000 capsules/h, reaching different performances depending on the number and kind of dosing units installed. The weight control system as well can be upgraded through different steps after the machine installation, starting from a simple statistical control of capsule gross weight, up to the most advanced MultiNETT system, which allows to check in process the net weight of each capsule and each dosed product, in case of dosing combinations into the same capsule.
MG Compact is a continuous motion capsule filler for small and medium productions, suitable to dose pharmaceutical powders or pellets. Its modular conception allows at any time the interchangeability of its dosing units, as well as the production speed scalability from 6.000 up to 48.000 capsules per hour, by simply changing the number of elements installed.
Thanks to these features, MG Compact can be also used in laboratories since the R&D phases, which could then transfer the results obtained directly to the production line. The machine is equipped with standard devices to select faulty capsules and reject them before they reach the bin of filled capsules. As a further guarantee of production quality, MG Compact can be fitted with an MG2 statistical weight control system. This machine features ease of use and maintenance, also thanks to its management through a PC with color touchscreen and the relevant software, developed by MG2 in accordance with GAMP guidelines.
MG Compact is a very reliable machine, which has been part of MG2's portfolio since the end of the Eighties; almost 200 units were manufactured.
In order to reach this goal, during Interpack, MG2's old and new customers will have the possibility to receive a special offer to purchase MG Compact under particularly advantageous conditions.
ACE is a line of Track & Trace systems dedicated to pharmaceutical products' end-of-line machines.
The system is used to print a unique identifying 2D-Data Matrix code on each unit and simultaneously to read, verify and constantly monitor the code printing quality. After each print job is inspected, the product is fed towards the conveyor or, in case of faulty printing, it is discharged from the packaging line. ACE features a positive unit control system, for an easy and safe handling management, even at high speed.
The main advantages of MG2's solutions for traceability are the small footprint, for the integration into any existing or new packaging line, as well as the great modularity, which allows the installation of different vision systems, at customer's choice by configuring them in accordance with different marking and verification requirements.
The ACE series can handle a wide range of shapes and sizes. In fact, MG2's Track & Trace systems are available in three versions: for cartons (ACE CT/400), bundles (ACE BN/30) and bottles (ACE BT/300). The latest will be on show.


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Just over 4 years ago, JJ Abrams rebooted the Star Trek series with Star Trek, a movie made for the modern moviegoer with a young, hip cast. Star Trek Into Darkness is the sequel and is again directed by JJ Abrams, who again takes the audience on another thrilling adventure with the crew of the Enterprise.
On the car ride home, a few friends and I were discussing a few random memories and some Bond trivia, most of which I was able to place or answer. It turns out that spending most of a winter vacation in South Carolina watching the 007 Days of Christmas and another summer watching a Bond film every day turns one into quite a Bond aficionado. Over 20 movies and almost 50 years, the series has changed quite a bit, and the latest installment matches the grittier tone of the last 2 Bond movies.
In "Skyfall", Daniel Craig's James Bond comes back to duty in poor mental and physical shape when MI6, the British intelligence agency, is itself under attack. Instead of dealing with international crises, Bond pursues a mysterious villain (Javier Bardem, known for No Country for Old Men) along with the help of fellow agent Eve (Naomie Harris), Q (Ben Whishaw), and M (Judi Dench), leading him to trains, cars, subways, and more around the world.
The movie plays around with several different aspects of a traditional Bond movie, mostly for the best. Today, technology far outreaches our imagination 50 years ago, and the newer movies have done away with Bond gadgets in favor of technology itself. Q is portrayed as a geeky hacker who is more interested in decryption than new toys. This modernizing process fits well into the scheme of an intelligence agency, strange as it may be to see the pensive Bond breaking codes.
The story also engages Bond's character more directly as his role as an agent is challenged. Just like our heroes, Bond ages, and his story brings up the usual questions about his ability to continue and his purpose in life. Despite knowing much about Bond's personality and preferences in guns, vehicles, drinks, and other pleasures, we have rarely seen character development in him in the past. In line with the grittier feel, the past Craig-age Bond movies have emphasized his ruthless, tenacious, unquestioning personality, all of which we continue to see.
The violence continues as Bond mixes up with the usual henchmen with guns, fists, and more. The fights are brutal but an immense joy to watch, and the stunts show off much improved pursuit skills since Casino Royale. Expect the usual accents as well, with a few grim jokes and a bit more class from Bond.
Overall, Skyfall completes this trilogy of movies. Its action fits the currently popular grittiness best exemplified by the Bourne Identity, a similar set of movies. For the fans of the classic movies, you may continue to be disappointed with the new style, though you may appreciate the references sprinkled throughout. So choose to see it as you intended: whatever your expectations of it were, it delivers.
Other than Pixar, I can 't think of anyone with as much pressure to deliver quality movies as Christopher Nolan. Since The Dark Knight was released 3 years ago, moviegoers everywhere have been anxious to hear how Batman would follow up the disaster he was left in.
Set 8 years after The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises (DKR) finds Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) as a shut-in, aged past his prime and unable to move beyond the events of his past. However, Bane (Tom Hardy), a physical and psychological monster, arrives in Gotham and forces Batman to come out of retirement. Along the way, Batman encounters Catwoman (Anne Hathaway) in several circumstances and receives some help from John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a police detective.
The cast should remind you much of Inception as Nolan relies on the same core of actors from film to film. Bale, Gary Oldman, and Michael Caine maintain the same traits from the previous movies, and Gordon-Levitt and Hardy fit in well, though Hardy has little to show with a mask over most of his face. Hathaway shows some versatility in her performance as the clever and self-serving Catwoman. Most of the character development is Batman's, who continues to struggle with his 2 identities and how they have affected his life. Although other characters make important revelations, these are relatively predictable.
Despite the solid acting, the movie feels long at 164 minutes. Although The Dark Knight was also long, it had a significant action sequence in the middle that broke the movie into multiple parts. DKR, however, moves fairly slowly through the middle as the plot unfolds without much of the punch you would expect from a superhero action movie. It isn't always exhilarating, but it should keep you interested.
When the action does happen, it is impressive. Batman has new vehicles for chase scenes including motorcycles and tanks, with the complementary explosions. Batman's main hallmark is his non-lethal, hand-to-hand combat, and there are some brutal fights in combat. In combat, Bane provides a type of mirror match for Batman. Unlike the Joker, whose insanity provides a perfect foil to Batman, Bane is quite similar to Batman in most respects and represents what Batman might have been if he hadn't turned away from the extremism of the League of Shadows in Batman Begins.
The comparisons to The Dark Knight are unavoidable and simply, DKR is not as good as its predecessor. This point, however, is no criticism as The Dark Knight set a high bar for movies and the series. DKR remains a great movie in its own right and caps off a consistently high-quality trilogy.
Although I first played the Tron game in high school, I didn't watch the 1982 movie until arriving at college. At that point, the technology, both in the movie and the special effects, were dated, and my friend Jordan and I laughed at the 80s culture. Even so, the imaginative take on the inner world of a computer was well-classified as neat. The updated "Tron: Legacy" pulls in today's special effects to build out an even more incredible world with special effects and artistic design that should impress everyone.
In the original movie, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) attempts to hack the mainframe at ENCOM (perhaps best thought of today as Microsoft) and ends up being transported to the Grid, the inner world of the computer, with its primary residents as programs and has battles with light cycles and gladiator games using thrown discs. In this movie, his son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) goes into the Grid almost 30 years later to find his dad who disappeared mysteriously when he was young. There, he finds an equally oppressive world as the one that his dad has faced and tries to find a way back out with his dad. That said, the plot isn't compelling. A son searching for his father is a classic, which isn't inherently bad, but it doesn't have any depth. The parallels between the Flynns are emphasized, and the steps are somewhat predictable.
The acting was solid. Hedlund as Sam had the right temperament to be placed in the Grid and avoids the confused awe of a Keanu Reeves Neo and the overdramatic enthusiasm of Shia LaBeouf in "Transformers." Jeff Bridges reprises his role as Kevin Flynn well, mixing the expected wisdom of a fatherly figure with just a little cool you would expect from Bridges. Michael Sheen's role as a program adds a little whimsy to change the pace, and Olivia Wilde fits into the movie as well.
As to be expected, it looks great. The visuals largely reflect the same style as the original movie, yet work far better with the updates to computer-generated graphics. Whether it's the gruesome "derezzing" of a program shattering or a look across the landscape, the Grid and its inhabitants should thoroughly impress. Even though the digital world lacks the organic detail and richness of a Pandora, you should feel just as immersed into its foreignness. I saw it in 3-D (though not IMAX), which was subtle, like many other recent 3-D movies. Spring at it if you get a chance, though don't worry about missing too much if you have to watch a regular showing of it.
The most notable fact about the movie is how seriously it takes itself. My moviegoing buddy, Trey, asked me before the movie if we might see references to any internet memes, and I knew that there wouldn't be any. Just like the original, this movie throws out computer jargon and plot points without acknowledging what a stretch some of it is. At times, the dialogue comes out heavy-handed in trying to emphasize the significance of certain ideas, and even these are somewhat predictable. Overall, it's worth watching if you think you'll enjoy seeing the instantiation of the world of Tron. Otherwise, there's not much to go for.
You must go to see this movie. Anything more that I would say would diminish the experience.
You must go to see this movie.
Before heading out to the midnight premiere, my friend Leland emailed out a warning about the movie: 10% fresh on rottentomatoes.com . Admittedly, the fresh rating is often somewhat harsh, though having watched the movie, I'm still surprised: that means there was even 1 in 10 critics who liked the movie.
"The Last Airbender" is based off of "Avatar: The Last Airbender," a Nickelodeon cartoon show that ran for 3 seasons. Set in a world based on a blend of traditional East Asian mythology, "benders" manipulate the four elements (earth, air, wind, and fire) to battle using martial arts and magic. In the movie, Katara (Nicola Peltz) and Sokka (Jackson Rathbone) of the Water Nation find Aang (Noah Ringer) frozen under the ocean. Soon, Prince Zuko (Dev Patel), exiled from the Fire Nation, finds them on his quest to find and capture the Avatar, the one being who can use all 4 elements and threatens the tyranny of the Fire Nation, to restore his honor. Soon, Aang, Katara, and Sokka are on a quest to go north so that Aang can learn water bending.
Usually I take the 2nd paragraph to give a plot synopsis for context: explanations make more sense when the central idea is in place. This particular synopsis, however, I feel gives a much different context. The movie suffers from what I call the "Wolfram MathWorld" effect: the content only makes sense if you already understand it in advance, making it very close to useless. Fans will see parts of familiar episodes along the way, yet without the actual story of the episode, the events end up being meaningless. Newcomers will be blown through a series of apparently trivial events, often briefly explained in advance by a voiceover that makes you wonder why the scene would ever need to be shown.
Don't worry, though, as none of the scenes last very long anyways, which also helps to quickly move on from gaping plot holes. Although the TV show was best-known for its goofy and clever dialogue, a large portion of the script is just exposition, often in scenes less than 5 lines long. The quick cuts never truly develop the characters, and instead of enjoying the subtleties of Katara's overbearing nature and Sokka's jester-like insight, you instead get the sense that they're both far braver than intelligent and only along for the ride.
It's hard to know how good the acting is working with such poor dialogue, but the actors seemed to generally miss the spirit of their characters. Patel as Zuko ends up being angry instead of conflicted, and Ringer ends up swinging wildly between being childish and outraged instead of refreshingly naive. The use of close-ups, however, never truly show any emotion from the characters and instead have that campy sort of suspense from Captain Kirk. A ton of over-the-shoulder camerawork with the speaking character also makes me believe that none of the dialogue was delivered believably.
Even beyond plot and characters, one might hopefully find entertainment in the visuals and action: in a world of elements flying wild and martial arts experts sparring, there are many opportunities to distract from the more purely cinematic qualities of the movie, yet even these disappoint. 3D effects were used minimally, and the style of bending never gave rise to a furious melee. Instead of tentacles of water flailing about to ward off flamethrowers, you're instead treated to a few dance moves as the elements are invoked, leading to a slow and somewhat predictable attack and parry.
Often, the most successful movies today have something for everyone, whether that's mixing adult humor in dialogue with cute animals or mixing a romantic sub-plot into a war scene. A step below that is the movie that narrowly targets a single demographic, whether a romantic comedy or a stoner film. And below that is "The Last Airbender," which manages to do wrong by any potential moviegoer. For newcomers, I'm so sorry you sat through it. For the fans of the show, I implore you: remain in blissful ignorance of how M. Night Shyamalan could have completely misunderstood what made the show good.
I've been lazy lately, and I will continue to be lazy. Here's a review for MacGruber that I just wrote for The Unofficial Stanford Blog. While you're there, subscribe to the best source of real Stanford news.
Classic culture constantly updates itself to remain relevant to popular culture. From Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to "PLAY!", a symphony that plays video game music, all types of entertainment are bridging that gap between classy and cool. One might wonder how to take the analytical, perceptive, cerebral detective Sherlock Holmes and make him successful again in today's culture. Well, quite simply, take the parts of people that haven't changed much and play them up. Holmes can use his acuity to setup an attack on a foe as vicious as that in Batman Begins or The Bourne Identity. And I think our love of Superbad and Napoleon Dynamite shows that we love awkwardness and bromances more than ever.
The general plot follows a classic detective setup: Holmes and Dr. John Watson apprehend Lord Blackwood at the beginning of the movie in the midst of a occult ceremony and have him hanged 3 months later. Soon after, however, Blackwood apparently rises from the grave, and Holmes must investigate Blackwood's resurrection and stop a plan in action. Along the way, he meets Irene Adler, an American thief working for a third-party and odd love interest.
Though the movie is just over 2 hours long, you won't get bored watching Holmes jump from scene to scene. Like many crime dramas today, the movie runs through a series of scenes played out in live-action, only to have Holmes come by later and put together more parts of the scene from details around the room. The action involves all the fisticuffs and explosions you could want and keep the movie moving through potentially slow points. Although somewhat formulaic, the setup stays fresh through moody scenery and Holmes's insights.
We, of course, crave deep characters on top of an engaging plot, and the cast delivers. Having once been a House watcher, I'm familiar with the portrayal of Holmes-inspired characters, but Robert Downey Jr. plays the original with perfect strangeness. He fights scrappy, exhibits hilarious antipathy and scorn for others, and ribs and toys with his assistant Watson at every turn. Jude Law, playing Watson, plays the foil against Holmes. For his own development, Watson is engaged and planning to move out, beginning a tug-of-war between his desire to move on with his life and his knowledge that Holmes very much needs him. Mark Strong as Lord Blackwood is suitably sinister, though his character isn't particularly interesting. Similarly, Rachel McAdams as Irene Adler isn't prominent enough to make her relationship with Holmes anything more than an amusing side note.
Just like many of the series reboots we've seen recently, Sherlock Holmes isn't quite your classic Sherlock Holmes, but what you remember probably isn't the best part of it. Maybe the action is rawer, and maybe subtlety gives way to cinematic epicness, but the essential cleverness and methods are all there. It won't make you think very hard, but I give it the slow head nod for having been a lot of fun.
My draw group talks about movies and TV a lot, and whenever we mentioned upcoming movies, Avatar came up. As such, Alex has told me at least 5 times, "This is the movie that James Cameron has wanted to make for 15 years but has been waiting for the technology to get good enough to do it." Well, I think the technology is pretty good now.
Avatar is set on Pandora, a wild, alien moon where humans have come to mine for unobtainium. They, however, have to deal with the wildlife and the Na'vi, a blue humanoid race who live on top of a large deposit of unobtainium. Jake Sully, an ex-marine, is connected neurologically to a Na'vi body and is sent to join the Na'vi clan and convince them to move.
Visually, the movie is stunning. Going for the full experience, I went for a 3D IMAX showing, and although the 3D effects aren't perfect, I was still amazed 2 hours in the movie whenever an object appeared to race to 5 feet in front of my face. Almost of all Pandora is computer-generated, yet the plants and animals never seem cartoony. They ensured that certain aspects, from bio-luminesence to breathing vents, maintain the same, extra-terrestrial feel. Add in a soundtrack that is so strange yet almost familiar (and a musical score from James Horner), and you will be immersed in the world.
The detail doesn't stop with Pandoran life, however, as it also extends into Na'vi culture. It's time that you all forget your Klingon and Elvish, for Na'vi is the new invented language to listen to. The Na'vi are technologically primitive, so they naturally have involved rituals and mystical beliefs. I'll let you see what they do for yourselves, but pay attention to the details of the Na'vi because their culture is fully developed.
What I felt wasn't as well developed are the characters. Although I can sympathize and understand many of them, I was never surprised. My friend Trey described the military as very "G.I. Joe," which sounds about right. Early on, you see the conflict between the Colonel and lead scientist (Sigourney Weaver, who even proudly a shirt from her alma mater!), and it's easy to slot each of the characters into their roles. Many of them are one-dimensional, and those who change do so in predictable ways. Even so, individual performances were strong, even through computer-augmentation into Na'vi.
One last thing I would like to mention is that I think that the sci-fi and fantasy elements were dealt with very well in this movie. Oftentimes, sci-fi movies will get in a trap of trying to explain too much about how the technology works or how this phenomena makes sense. Avatar certainly relies on far-out technology to explain how these humans can control Na'vi bodies and how Pandora as a whole works, yet never make that a big deal. Instead, we're only given the principle for how it all works, and that's good enough to understand the idea of the movie.
Overall, I would peg Avatar as a "worth it, but not the whole package." If you're in it for experiencing Pandora and seeing what 3D can do now, you'll love it, but know that you've probably heard this story before.
I have a bit more to say after you've seen it, so there are some minor spoilers here that I just want to throw out there.
I'm happy that James Cameron got to make this movie, but I think he had too much time to make it. By that, I mean that the pieces fit together too well.
In my English class, we talked about how in nonfiction, not everything makes sense. You can't understand the whole world in one go, and parts of it are just inexplicable, from why the grass is cut to why Joey tripped Jimmy back then. This happens to be something that you might even need to go out of your way to fix in fiction, for in a fictional world, everything can be coherent. I know it goes against Chekhov's Gun, but fiction sometimes feels fake for not having any loose ends.
And I think that's one thing that bothered me a lot about Avatar. When Jake goes back to capture and bond with the big bird, I knew that James Cameron was one of those sort of writers, and I was searching my memory to figure out what other detail he had left in there that he was going to bring back. I'm a little embarrassed to say that I didn't catch it in time, but it absolutely happened with the turning point of the battle, and that made me tremendously sad that he did it.
(As my psych prof would say), "All of this is to say that" I didn't think the movie was great (though still good) because it was canned. The characters were canned, the plot is a classic, and not even the twists made me think. Oh, and the end of the movie was absolutely predictable (though I'm trying to think if I would've been more satisfied with any other ending). So yeah, looks good, not a so great as a story.
It's been awhile since I saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but a quick refresher from my last review reminds me that I didn't like it. The movie felt very angsty, and the somewhat serious tone it took made it largely unbearable. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the plot still revolves teenage wizards growing up and dealing with their issues, but a shift towards a funny awkward tone makes it bearable enough to be fun for 2 1/2 hours.
While thinking about what I would put in my review, I realized I couldn't think of a one sentence plot summary. Actually, I don't think the movie is about much at all, but that's okay because the movie is really only meaningful within the context of Harry Potter movies that you should've seen. To make any sense of the movie, you likely need to have either read all of the previous books or watched all of the movies as this movie does pretty true to the book. That means the plot starts in the middle of this epic without any exposition and relies heavily on known character traits.
Granted, I read the book once when it came out, so the details are fuzzy, and maybe it isn't so true to the book. Several of the Tom Riddle memories have been cut out, and the circumstances of the love story change. One quality I think the movie captured well is the lack of content until the final scenes. Part of the lack of plot is that there isn't a lot of direction to many of the scenes. Potter is vaguely helping Dumbledore on his quest to defeat Voldemort, and it's not clear how his interest in Ginny is related. Like the book, the movie meanders between characters and events, only trying to tie meanings together at the end.
The good news, though, is that even if nothing happens, it's still a lot of fun. Just like the book, I always wanted to get to the next scene, and the two hours passed very quickly. When Ron sits down with a pie between Harry and Ginny just before they have a "moment", there's something familiar and funny about being somewhere you shouldn't be. Perhaps it's more fun for me because it genuinely sounds like a story my friend might tell me about last weekend, so I should warn that the movie might feel longer than the lines at the DMV if you don't enjoy or appreciate the awkward moments, because that's all it is.
The tone is particularly well-targeted, though. Looking around in the theater, I think almost everyone in the audience was somewhere between 15 and 25. Had I watched this movie when I was in 8th grade, I definitely wouldn't have enjoyed it nearly as much, but the humor feels like something that would happen in high school. Kids around my age are the ones who grew up reading these books, so it seems natural that each movie about a wizard boy growing up should change its tone as its audience grows up as well.
I was actually unsure whether I wanted to go to a midnight showing, but I think it was worth it just for the audience participation. Since the theater was probably half dormmates and half similarly aged students, we all had similar reactions, including roaring laughter at a particularly poorly worded sequence suggesting inappropriate relations between Snape and Draco. I probably could've done without the shrieking when the movie began, but a sarcastic and cruel "haw haw" (think Nelson from The Simpsons) legitimately made the movie better. Even if I missed some dialogue when everyone was laughing, I'm certain that the movie is better seen in a group.
Except for the lack of a plot and suspense (since it wasn't clear what there was to be worried about), the movie was well-produced. The special effects were exactly what you would expect from a Harry Potter movie, so not revolutionary, but still pleasing. There wasn't much quidditch, but the scenes looked great. The acting was solid, including some excellent background characters. For those who love the lore and world of Harry Potter, you'll be disappointed to find out that the movie trivializes the presence of many characters, such as Hagrid and Neville. Those were the actors that did the best job, in my opinion. The young Tom Riddle was perfectly creepy, and Luna was just as much fun as in the last movie.
So the bottom line is that you should continue to do what you've been doing. If you haven't followed Harry Potter up until now, this movie isn't amazing enough that you have to catch up. It may be the best Harry Potter movie, but it's still just an okay movie on its own merits. Fortunately, it's not only on its own merits, so if you've seen all the other movies, definitely make your way out to this one. And take a couple angst-ridden teenagers with you for laughs.